Otis Singleton
Before the advent of electricity, opera houses and theatres relied on various forms of lighting to illuminate their stages. From the ancient Greeks to the Renaissance, the main objective of theatre lighting was to ensure that the audience could see the performance. Natural light was utilised in private theatres with large windows, while artificial light sources such as candles, oil lamps, and torches were used for indoor performances. In the 16th century, Italian theatres introduced coloured lighting, with scenes lit by large chandeliers and early sidelights, reflectors, and floodlights. The invention of the spotlight is credited to Nicola Sabatini, who placed a polished sink behind a light source to direct light to a specific area of the stage. Opera houses and theatres continued to innovate with lighting designs, gradually transitioning from candle-based technology to gaslighting in the early 19th century and eventually embracing electric lighting in the late 19th century.
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What You'll Learn
- Seventeenth-century opera houses relied on natural light
- Opera lighting before electricity included candles, oil lamps, and torches
- Limelight was used as the first spotlight in Paris Opera houses
- Gaslighting was first used in theatres in 1817
- Electric lighting was introduced to opera houses in the late 19th century
Seventeenth-century opera houses relied on natural light
Seventeenth-century opera houses and theatres did not have large windows to admit great amounts of natural light. However, natural light was still an important source of lighting for opera houses and theatres before electricity. In the winter, when the days were shorter, light was used in the latter parts of performances. The cresset, a variety of torch with an open iron cage to hold burning material, was used for this purpose. Private theatres of the same period, some of which were the first indoor theatres, relied on daylight admitted through large windows.
In the early seventeenth century, opera houses and indoor theatres used branched chandeliers that held candles or candle-sconces. The use of candles and candle-based technology with mirrors was common in baroque and classical opera. The convention of turning down the lights and only having the stage lit is very new in opera, originating with Wagner. Opera houses were likely lit to the same level as anywhere else in public at night, though the lighting was pretty dim and smoky.
Before the advent of electricity, theatre lighting had a long and ingenious history. As early as the sixteenth century, Italian theatres had coloured lighting displays. Scenes were lit by large central chandeliers, and early forms of sidelights, reflectors, and floodlights were in use. Lighting was adjusted to create moods or to reinforce dramatic actions. Oil lamps and torches were also used as light sources before electricity.
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Opera lighting before electricity included candles, oil lamps, and torches
Before the advent of electricity, opera and theatre lighting was a creative and challenging affair. Opera houses and theatres of the 17th and 18th centuries did not have large windows to admit natural light, so artificial lighting was essential for evening performances.
Candles were a common source of light, with large numbers placed at the front of the stage. They were also used in branched chandeliers or candle-sconces. The invention of the moulded candle in the 18th century made them more practical, but they still required regular trimming and relighting, necessitating intermissions. To colour the light, the water in the bozze (a type of lighting apparatus) was treated with translucent colours—a mixture of sal ammoniac and salt for blue, with saffron added to make green, and wine for red tints. Candlelight was dimmed by lowering metal cylinders over the flames, a method invented by Nicola Sabatini.
Oil lamps, which had been used since prehistoric times, provided greater illumination than candles. The flame was enclosed, so it was steadier and brighter. Oil lamps were designed by Aime Argand and were placed behind a parapet at the edge of the stage to avoid casting shadows on the scenery or the actors' faces.
Torches were also used, with the Romans possibly employing them in their theatres. In the winter, when days were shorter, a type of torch called a cresset was used. This had an open iron cage at the end to hold burning material.
The invention of limelight in 1803 by Henry Drummond provided the first spotlight, though it had a greenish tint. This was achieved by heating a piece of lime with a flame of oxygen and hydrogen. The first electric arc was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy in 1809, but it took 90 years to be fully accepted. Gaslighting was first used in theatres in 1817, and by the end of that year, the most important London theatres were completely illuminated by gaslight.
In 1878, Joseph Swan patented the world's first incandescent electric lamp, and within a year, the Paris Opera had introduced this new lighting technology. In 1880, Thomas Edison created the first long-lasting incandescent bulb, and by 1881, the Savoy Theatre in London had installed electric lighting. In 1887, the Paris Opera upgraded its lighting system to electricity, using salt-water dimmers to control voltage and light intensity.
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Limelight was used as the first spotlight in Paris Opera houses
Before the advent of electricity, opera houses relied on various methods to illuminate their stages and create different effects. Limelight, also known as Drummond light or calcium light, was one of the earliest non-electric types of stage lighting used in theatres and opera houses.
Limelight was first used publicly in 1836 to illuminate a juggling performance by magician Ching Lau Lauro over Herne Bay Pier in Kent, England. The playbill described the light as "the whole pier [being] overwhelmed with a flood of beautiful white light". This was achieved by heating a piece of lime on an oxygen and hydrogen flame, creating an intense illumination. The effect was discovered in the 1820s by Goldsworthy Gurney, and the first practical use of limelight for indoor stage lighting was in 1837 at the Covent Garden Theatre in London.
Limelight was then used as the first spotlight in Paris Opera houses. The Paris Opera, also known for being one of the first to adopt electric lighting in 1887, used limelight to highlight solo performers and create a sun-like effect. Opera houses were often dimly lit, and the use of limelight allowed for a focused beam of light to be directed onto specific areas of the stage or performers, enhancing the drama and mood of the performance.
Other methods of lighting before electricity included candles, torches, oil lamps, and gas burners. Innovators like Nicola Sabatini and Aime Argand contributed to the development of lighting technology by creating methods to dim the lights and direct the light to specific areas, improving upon the limitations of natural light and the challenges of indoor theatres.
The introduction of electric lighting in theatres and opera houses brought about new innovations in lighting design, allowing for more complex and colourful lighting plots. However, the foundation of limelight and other early lighting techniques paved the way for the dramatic and atmospheric performances that opera houses are known for today.
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Gaslighting was first used in theatres in 1817
Before the advent of electricity, opera houses and theatres relied on various forms of lighting, including natural light, candles, and oil lamps. However, the first significant revolution in stage lighting came with the introduction of gas lighting in the early 19th century.
Entrepreneur F. A. Winsor patented a gas-based lighting apparatus in 1804, building on the work of English engineer William Murdock. In July of that year, Winsor publicly demonstrated his gaslight at the London Lyceum theatre, marking the beginning of the gaslight era in theatres.
It took some time for gaslight to be adopted for stage lighting, with the Lyceum Theatre first demonstrating its use on the stage in 1815. However, it was in 1817 that gaslighting truly took off in theatres. The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and the English Opera House (formerly known as the Lyceum Theatre) were the first to fully illuminate their stages and auditoriums with gaslight in 1817, followed by other important London theatres by the end of that year.
The introduction of gas lighting in theatres brought about significant changes in stage lighting techniques. It offered a more powerful and flexible light source than candles or oil lamps, allowing for the creation of different moods and reinforcing dramatic actions. This revolution in lighting design continued with the advent of electricity, with early electric lamps being used to replace existing footlights, strip lights, and border lights.
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Electric lighting was introduced to opera houses in the late 19th century
Before the introduction of electric lighting in the late 19th century, opera houses relied on various forms of lighting to illuminate their stages. Natural light was used in ancient Greek theatres, and large central chandeliers, sidelights, reflectors, and early floodlights were used in Italian theatres in the 16th century. Opera houses in the 17th and 18th centuries were dimly lit by candles, oil lamps, and torches, with innovations like mirrors and metal cylinders to control lighting intensity.
The world's first incandescent electric lamp was patented by Joseph Swan in 1878, and within a year, the Paris Opera introduced this new lighting technology. In 1880, Thomas Edison created an incandescent bulb by sealing carbonized threads inside a glass bulb and passing an electric current through them, marking the beginning of the electric age. The Savoy Theatre in London, which opened in October 1881, was one of the first to install an electric lighting system.
In 1887, the Paris Opera again upgraded its lighting system to electricity, this time featuring salt-water dimmers that controlled light intensity by adjusting the voltage. This late 19th-century innovation allowed for more nuanced lighting designs and paved the way for the complex lighting plots that would develop with advancements in lighting technology.
The introduction of electric lighting in opera houses revolutionized stage lighting, providing a more powerful and versatile light source. Designers could experiment with colour and focus, creating interpretive lighting designs that enhanced the emotional impact of performances. While early electric lights had limitations in terms of dimming capabilities, the development of electrical dimmers and advancements in bulb technology, such as the tungsten filament, further enhanced the control and quality of lighting in opera houses.
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Frequently asked questions
Before the advent of electricity, opera houses relied on various sources of light, including candles, oil lamps, and gaslighting. Candles were placed in large central chandeliers or used as early forms of sidelights, reflectors, and floodlights. Oil lamps, which provided greater illumination than candles, were also used, as were gaslights, which were first introduced in theatres in 1817.
Before electricity, spotlights were created by placing a polished sink or mirror behind a light source, such as a candle or an oil lamp, to direct the light to a specific part of the stage. This technique was invented by Nicola Sabatini.
The first electric lamps were patented in the late 19th century by Joseph Swan in 1878 and Thomas Edison in 1880. By 1881, the Savoy Theatre in London had installed one of the first lighting systems of incandescent bulbs, and in 1887, the Paris Opera upgraded its lighting system to electricity.
Non-electric lighting sources such as candles and oil lamps had several drawbacks. They required frequent maintenance, such as trimming wicks and removing hot wax or grease. They also produced smoke and fumes, which could be unpleasant for the audience and performers. Additionally, the light intensity could not be easily adjusted, and early electric lights had similar issues with dimming.
The transition from non-electric to electric lighting in opera houses was gradual. Initially, electric lights replaced existing fixtures like footlights, strip lights, and border lights. Over time, brighter and larger electric lights were developed, and designers experimented with colour and focus, creating more complex lighting plots. The invention of lighting consoles allowed for more precise control of light intensity and the storage of lighting information.
